Are You Properly Hoarding Employee Records?

9.15.14

Josh Viau's article "Are You Properly Hoarding Employee Records?" was featured September 15, 2014 on Easy Small Business HR.

Many human resource departments could lay claim to an episode of the television series “Hoarders,” which chronicles the tribulations of people who suffer from compulsive hoarding. But the tendency to hang on to employment-related documents is completely understandable given the myriad of laws and regulations governing the maintenance and destruction of these records. On top of that, even if an employer decides to clean out the files, employers run the risk of liability if they don’t properly protect and destroy confidential information and it ends up in the wrong hands.

To prevent mistakes and inconsistencies, employers should establish a clear policy on record retention and destruction including a schedule, file location and methods of destruction. Larger organizations also should consider designating a records administrator charged with oversight and compliance with the policy. Once the required retention timeframes have been met, employers should create a document destruction log and make sure that disposal is completed with finality and security so as to minimize the risk of a breach.

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